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Prep center fielder McFarland goes in Round 12

By
Tyler EmerickMLB.com

With their 12th-round pick, the D-backs took a high school center fielder with a ton of upside. Coming out of Junipero Serra Catholic High School (Calif.), Dane McFarland has one of the most enticing power/speed combos among the prep outfielders in the Draft, even though he is somewhat raw.

McFarland has a huge frame at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, and he combines this with great bat speed to give him plus power. In the field, he has good range and should fit well in right field in pro ball, a place where his bat will profile well. While it may take some time, McFarland could turn into a five-tool catalyst at the big league level.

With their 12th-round pick, the D-backs took a high school center fielder with a ton of upside. Coming out of Junipero Serra Catholic High School (Calif.), Dane McFarland has one of the most enticing power/speed combos among the prep outfielders in the Draft, even though he is somewhat raw.

McFarland has a huge frame at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, and he combines this with great bat speed to give him plus power. In the field, he has good range and should fit well in right field in pro ball, a place where his bat will profile well. While it may take some time, McFarland could turn into a five-tool catalyst at the big league level.

A University of Oregon commit, getting McFarland to forgo college and begin his pro career could be a difficult task for the D-backs.

"We'll see what we can do," said D-backs scouting director Ray Montgomery about signing McFarland. "He suffered an injury and didn't get much of a season, but we did a lot of work on him and he's a mature kid. From a mental standpoint, we think he's ready to attack pro ball right now, so that was the reason for taking him there."

Tyler Emerick is an associate reporter for MLB.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.